FINAL Delegate Prep Guide 2014 - Mesa Public Schools · a NHSMUN delegate to present an original...

REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MODEL UNITED NATIONS XVII 4 - 7 DECEMBER 2013

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PAGE 1 OF 1

D E L E G A T E P R E P A R A T I O N G U I D E

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL MODEL UNITED NATIONS

5 - 8 MARCH 2014 | NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

National High School Model United Nations 2014 Delegate Preparation Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Position Papers ........................................................................................................................................ 1!

What Are Position Papers? ........................................................................................................................................... 1!

How to Write a Position Paper .................................................................................................................................... 2!

Document Specifications ......................................................................................................................................... 2!

Position Paper Submission ........................................................................................................................................... 2!

About the United Nations ...................................................................................................................... 4!

History ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4!

Structure .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5!

Research and Preparation ...................................................................................................................... 8!

Why Research? ................................................................................................................................................................ 8!

What to Research ........................................................................................................................................................... 8!

The United Nations .................................................................................................................................................. 8!

Specific Country Research ....................................................................................................................................... 9!

Topic Research ......................................................................................................................................................... 10!

World Opinion ......................................................................................................................................................... 11!

Research Sources .......................................................................................................................................................... 11!

Basic Preparation Materials .................................................................................................................................... 11!

Topic Research Materials ....................................................................................................................................... 12!

Research on the Internet ........................................................................................................................................ 13!

United Nations Depository Libraries ................................................................................................................... 13!

Missions and Embassies ......................................................................................................................................... 13!

Resources Provided by NHSMUN ....................................................................................................................... 14!

Delegation Preparation ................................................................................................................................................ 14!

Developing a Calendar ............................................................................................................................................ 14!

Activities .................................................................................................................................................................... 15!

Assignments ................................................................................................................................................................. 15!

Committee Sessions: A Guide to Participating at NHSMUN .............................................................. 17!

Important Concepts and Terms ................................................................................................................................ 17!

The Committee Staff ............................................................................................................................................... 17!

Rules of Procedure .................................................................................................................................................. 17!


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Blocs .......................................................................................................................................................................... 17!

Role-Playing .............................................................................................................................................................. 18!

Qualities a Successful Delegate Should Have .......................................................................................................... 18!

An Outline of a NHSMUN Committee ................................................................................................................... 20!

Setting the Agenda .................................................................................................................................................. 20!

General Debate on the Topic ................................................................................................................................ 20!

Working Papers ........................................................................................................................................................ 21!

Resolutions ............................................................................................................................................................... 21!

Amendments ............................................................................................................................................................ 22!

Voting ........................................................................................................................................................................ 22!

Preparing and Delivering Speeches ........................................................................................................................... 23!

Negotiating .................................................................................................................................................................... 24!

Writing ........................................................................................................................................................................... 24!

The Resolution Format ............................................................................................................................................... 26!

Glossary of Useful Terms ..................................................................................................................... 28!

NHSMUN Rules of Procedure ............................................................................................................ 34!

Appendix A: Sample Position Paper .................................................................................................... 47!

Appendix B: Guide to United Nations Document Symbols ................................................................... 1!


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POSITION PAPERS

WHAT ARE POSITION PAPERS?

The purpose of position papers is to assist delegates in assembling their research into an organized policy statement and ensure that debate in committee is highly substantive. Individual position papers are a crucial part of the preparation process, and further information about their format and content is provided in this section.

In each committee Background Guide, the Director has provided questions on each topic generally and as it pertains to individual delegations specifically. Delegates’ position papers should be concise, accurate, and well written. The Research and Preparation Questions found succeeding the topic papers in each Background Guide have been specially formulated to lead the delegates in a logical progression through the topic and position paper. It is important that delegates directly answer these research questions. A good position paper will:

• Clearly outline the country’s policies on the topics • Identify factors contributing to a country’s position • Integrate indigenous national factors into the responses • Refer to domestic and international documents and correctly cite the sources • Deal with the in-depth issues of the topic areas as well as the overt topic issues • Provide suggestions of solutions that address the problem areas • Answer all Research and Preparation Questions posed in the Background Guides

The staff looks for the demonstration of the following skills in evaluating the papers:

• Original and critical thinking • True understanding of the dynamics of your nation • Functional and applied knowledge of the topics

Please note that under no circumstances will plagiarism of any portion of position papers be tolerated. Plagiarism is defined as the usage of material from another source without appropriate citation. Plagiarism includes both word-for-word borrowing of text and material and paraphrasing of material without citation. All material acquired from existing sources, including text quotations, charts, graphs, diagrams, and data must be cited. Please note that plagiarism of the Background Guide provided by your Director is equally unacceptable. Plagiarism violates your agreement as a NHSMUN delegate to present an original document that represents your own work. It is equivalent to stealing, and will thus be treated very seriously. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please contact your Director or the Director-General, Ryan Youra ([email protected]).


HOW TO WRITE A POSITION PAPER

It is important to recognize that the amount of information available for use in your position paper will vary according to the size, level of development, and age of your country. Your director’s topic choices will also affect the amount and type of research you will be able to find. Do not be discouraged by the limitations of your resources. If you are representing a newly formed country or looking for information on a topic that has only recently been in the public eye, you will experience many of the same problems that confront actual UN delegations. Remember that diplomats must look to their governments at home for direction and information. Where you have trouble developing a coherent policy, they probably do, too. See the next section on Research for helpful tips on where to find information

A successful position paper will provide the following information:

1) Introduction: Discussion of the importance of the topic and the problems that will be encountered in finding a solution.

2) Country policy: a. A general, relevant history of your state. Include major events that shape its current

policy about the topic under consideration, b. Your state’s general position on the topic, including resolutions that it has or has

not signed and reasons for previous votes on these measures. 3) Proposed actions and solutions: Suggestions for reaching a compromise (where applicable:

sometimes a state’s position is that the UN should not be discussing the topic because it is not of international concern. If this is the case, it is an extremely valid position to take, and this position should be stated and explained). This is the best chance for a delegate’s creativity to flourish regarding policies to push forth in the resolutions.

Throughout these three sections, the delegate should address the Research and Preparation Questions in their committee’s Background Guide.

Certain specialized agencies have alternative position paper formats or guidelines (the World Bank, the NGO Forum, UNPFII, the ICJ, and MINUSMA). In such situations, more specific guidelines are provided in the committee Background Guide.

Document Specifications

Position papers should be (at minimum) 4 double-spaced, 12-point type pages with 1” margins per topic. Any academic citation style is acceptable (NHSMUN Background Guides use a modified version of Chicago style). Papers should be at maximum 15 double-spaced pages.

You can find a Sample Position Paper in the Appendix of this document.

POSITION PAPER SUBMISSION

Individual position papers must be submitted online on our website on or before 22 January 2014. Only faculty with registered accounts to the website will be able to submit papers—only faculty users will be able to submit position papers. Please upload the entire delegation’s papers at one


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time as a ZIP file composed of each individual paper. A single paper should consist of the Topic A and Topic B for a single committee. Do not put multiple delegates’ papers in the same document, even if they are representing the same country or are in the same committee. Further instructions on how to name the file and how to upload will be distributed prior to the position paper deadline.

All extension requests must be made to the Director-General by 15 January 2014. Delegations that do not submit position papers will not be eligible for awards. Papers without an official extension and post-marked after 22 January will be considered late and penalized accordingly. Only Faculty Advisors can request group or individual extensions. Delegations that do not submit position papers will be ineligible for awards.


ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS

HISTORY

Born in the aftermath of World War II, the United Nations was the world’s second attempt at an organization aimed at preserving and promoting world peace through international cooperation. The first attempt, the League of Nations, was established in reaction to the atrocities of World War I. Unfortunately, the League was unsuccessful in its mandate, ultimately unable to halt the outbreak of a second global conflict. As such, it is worthwhile to briefly examine the League’s failure in order to understand the importance of the United Nations 65-year history to date.

The central premise of the League was collective security, meaning that all members of the organization were required to accept joint responsibility for preserving peace. Collective security is based on the idea that a threat anywhere should be viewed as a threat to all and therefore its success hinges on two basic elements: first, all the great powers must participate; and second, they must act with an overriding conviction to preserve peace. Unfortunately, under the League, the great powers failed to follow these two cardinal rules; the United States never joined the League, while Japan, Germany, and Italy withdrew their membership when the League’s ideals became misaligned with their respective countries’ goals. Britain and France, the only two great powers left in the League, were unwilling to take any action to preserve peace until Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Even after declaring war, neither Britain nor France took steps to restore world order, concentrating instead on strengthening their own defenses. The overarching problem with the League of Nations was that its charter contained no means of enforcing decisions; all of its recommendations were to be adopted voluntarily, with no international recourse if they were not.

Although the concept of collective security proved insufficient to hold the League of Nations together, its principles are still vital to the United Nations’ efforts towards world peace. Furthermore, the failures and mistakes of the League of Nations served as an effective learning tool for the creation of the United Nations. Below is a brief timeline of some of the important conferences and documents that led to the creation of the United Nations:

January 1942: The signing of the Declaration of the United Nations marked the first use of the term “United Nations.” This document, signed by the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, China, and 43 other state was a statement of the Allied countries’ victory aims. According to the Declaration, security in the postwar world was to be collective in nature. The Declaration also reaffirmed the 1941 Atlantic Charter between the United States and Great Britain, which expressed the hope for a postwar world in which “all the men in all the lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want.”

October 1943: The next step toward the United Nations’ establishment occurred with the release of the Moscow Declaration on General Security of 30 October 1943. This declaration contained an agreement by the Americans, British, Soviets, and Chinese (the “Big Four”) that an international organization based upon the principles of collective security was desirable in the postwar world.

October 1944: The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, held from August to October in Washington D.C., was the first direct effort to create the United Nations. The Big Four met to discuss the


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structure of the organization. While much was accomplished, several notable disputes developed such as questions of when the veto in the Security Council could be used, whether member states could vote on issues in which they were directly involved, and whether the Soviets could include each of the fifteen Soviet Republics as member states.

February 1945: Compromise on the veto and representation issues were reached at the Yalta summit in February of 1945. In return for the admittance of the Ukrainian and Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republics, it was agreed the procedural matters in the Security Council would not be subject to veto. With the significant disputes between the big powers settled, the Big Four decided to hold an additional conference that has come to be known as the San Francisco Conference. Its purpose was to write a charter for the proposed United Nations.

April 1945: The conference, which lasted from 25 April to 26 June, was attended by 46 states. Most of the disputes at the conference were not within the “Big Five” (the “Big Four” plus France) but between the Big Five and the smaller powers present. The smaller states felt that the great powers would have too much control over the proposed organization, particularly in possessing a veto over all actions taken by the Security Council. In the end, the veto was preserved, and in turn, the powers of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council were increased. The revised Charter was approved unanimously and went into effect on 24 October 1945.

STRUCTURE

The Charter split the United Nations into five main divisions, or “principal organs”: the General Assembly (GA), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Security Council, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Secretariat.

The General Assembly is the only principal organ of the United Nations in which all member states are represented and share equal voting rights. The General Assembly exercises the deliberative, supervisory, financial, and elective functions of the United Nations. As a deliberative body it can discuss and make recommendations on “any questions or any matters within the scope of the present Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any organs provided for in the present Charter.”

All other organs submit reports to the General Assembly, with the ECOSOC Council operating under its authority. The General Assembly plays a role in choosing members from organizations ranging from the ICJ to the Security Council. Six main committees (Disarmament and International Security, Economic and Financial, Social Humanitarian and Cultural, Special Political and Decolonization, Administrative and Budgetary, and Legal), numerous ad hoc committees, subsidiary bodies and a Plenary provide the forum in which the General Assembly's work is accomplished. Despite the broad scope of its authority, decisions made by the General Assembly are only recommendations, and rely on the weight of the Security Council and the cooperation of individual states for enforcement.

The Economic and Social Council consists of three basic parts: subsidiary bodies, non-governmental organizations and specialized agencies. Each of these parts is further divided. The subsidiary bodies include:


• Eight functional commissions: Narcotic Drugs, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Science and Technology for Development, Sustainable Development, Population and Development, Social Development, Statistical, and Status of Women;

• Five regional commissions: Economic Committee for Africa, Economic and Social Committee for Asia and the Pacific, Economic Committee for Europe, Economic Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Economic Committee for Western Asia;

• Six standing committees: Human Settlements, Energy and Natural Resources, Non Governmental Organizations, Negotiations with Inter-Governmental Agencies, Programme and Coordination; and

• A growing number of standing expert bodies on topics such as indigenous issues, development policy, international cooperation in tax matters, and economic, social and cultural rights.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may be consulted by the Economic and Social Council if they are concerned with matters within the Council’s competence. The over six hundred NGOs that have consultative status with the council are classified into three groups:

• Category I organizations that are concerned with most of the Council’s activities; • Category II organizations that have special competence in specific fields of the Council’s

activity; and • Organizations on the roster that can make occasional contributions to the Council, its

subsidiary organs, or other United Nations bodies.

Non-governmental organizations, which have been given consultative status, may send observers to public meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies, and may submit written statements relevant to the Council’s work.

Finally, organizations known as “specialized agencies” report annually to the Economic and Social Council. They include agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the World Bank, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Security Council is entrusted with the primary responsibility for keeping world peace. Because of the magnitude of this responsibility and the severity of the actions that may be required, only the Security Council can impose mandatory economic sanctions or use military force in order to enforce its decisions. There are five permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States), with another ten members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. Each of the five permanent members has the power to veto a substantive decision of the council and all decisions of the Council require nine votes in the affirmative in order to pass. Members of the United Nations agree to abide by the decisions of the Security Council when they join.


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The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial body set up by the United Nations. The Court has 15 judges, serving nine-year terms. Justices are elected by individual votes from the General Assembly and Security Council. The Court sits in The Hague and gives judgments in cases brought before it by United Nations members and legal opinions to the General Assembly and Security Council. No state is forced either to take a case to the International Court of Justice or to accept its rulings. A few states, by formal declaration, accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in specified categories of disputes.

The Secretariat is the administrative body of the United Nations. The Secretary-General, elected by the General Assembly for a five-year term, serves as the leader of the Secretariat and appoints United Nations' staff. The staff prepares material for meetings, conducts expert studies, and performs the office work of the United Nations. The Secretary-General is also considered a member of the Secretariat, and acts as an intermediary in international disputes. It is also the duty of the Secretary-General to bring before the United Nations any matter that threatens international peace and security.

In a span of more than 50 years, the United Nations has made great strides in aiding the world. Along with serving as a daily forum for international negotiations, the UN has also contributed to advancements in political, social, and economic arenas. Marked accomplishments include the eradication of smallpox by the World Health Organization, protection and aid for refugees, protection of human rights, decolonization, peacekeeping (for which it won the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize), and efforts toward disarmament. The United Nations’ less publicized work has included increasing air traffic safety through the International Civil Aviation Organization and preserving global cultural heritage through UNESCO.

The millennium marked the 55th Anniversary of the United Nations, and provided a time for reflection on past accomplishments as well as planning for the future. In 2000 the UN adopted an ambitious set of eight goals, known as the Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved by 2015. These far reaching goals include: halving the number of people living in extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education, ensure environmental sustainability and to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. These far-reaching goals represent a new direction for the UN at the turn of the 21st century, protecting not only the collective security of the world’s people but also promoting development and a more equal distribution of resources and opportunity among the states of the world. The General Assembly closed the Millennium Declaration with the following statement, “we solemnly reaffirm, on this historic occasion, that the United Nations is the indispensable common house of the entire human family, through which we will seek to realize our universal aspirations for peace, cooperation and development. We therefore pledge our unstinting support for these common objectives and our determination to achieve them.” By shifting its focus to development aims, the UN has been able to maintain its relevance as an international forum for more than a half century.

For information about the UN's current work, visit the UN online at www.un.org.


RESEARCH AND PREPARATION

WHY RESEARCH?

Proper research and preparation is essential to effectively participate in any Model United Nations conference. Without it, the educational experience offered by the conference is largely lost and the delegate’s ability to participate successfully in the debate is greatly handicapped. When preparing for NHSMUN, the members of the delegation should ask themselves three questions:

1) Why should I research? 2) What should I research? 3) How should I go about researching?

While a Model United Nations conference should be an enjoyable experience for the delegate — especially a conference such as NHSMUN, where one may have an opportunity to meet people from all over the world—is also a great deal of hard work. NHSMUN prides itself on the integrity and accuracy of its simulations; the staff devotes a tremendous amount of time and energy to make the substantive side of the conference the best it can be. The conference, in turn, expects and requires a high degree of preparation and extensive research from its delegates. To ensure that every delegation does prepare to some degree, NHSMUN requires a position paper from each member state of each committee be submitted to the Director-General and the committee Director online (see the Position Papers section of the delegate resources online). More than this, the performance of the delegate during the conference and their enjoyment of committee session depend greatly on the extent and quality of his or her research. The delegate who performed inadequate research is unable to participate fully in the simulation and is handicapped in his or her ability to formulate country policy. Not only does a lack of preparation detract from the quality of the simulation, but the delegates will not be able to enjoy some of the most exhilarating parts of the conference experience, namely the debate and negotiation that go into resolution writing. Simply, the largest part of the conference is the research and preparation leading up to NHSMUN, and the delegate who knows this will do well.

WHAT TO RESEARCH

In short, the delegate needs to research the United Nations itself, the country being represented, the committee topics, the country's position on the topics, and “world opinion” on these topics.

The United Nations

The delegate must be familiar with the history and organization of the UN and of his or her assigned committee. Most importantly, the delegate should be familiar with the past actions of the United Nations on the committee topics as well as the present status of those topics in the United Nations system.

Sources for these research areas are quite numerous. The most useful sources are actual UN documents and UN online sources. A good starting point is the UN website at www.un.org. There you will find links to all the committee homepages, histories, UN documents and resolutions, as well


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as lists of current topics being discussed in each forum. The online Dag Hammarskjöld Library is an excellent starting point for UN document research. The Peacekeeping Best Practices online library offers a range of indexed documents, many of which go well beyond the scope of peacekeeping operations.

Specific Country Research

Concurrent with United Nations research, the delegate should be researching the specific country that they have been assigned. A delegate must know a great deal about the country in order to make informed decisions on the issues. Country research is best done in two steps:

1) Background research into the country's political, economic, and cultural systems and institutions.

2) Assimilation of this information so that the delegate can effectively act as an actual representative of the country.

Step One: Background Research The first step is the most time-consuming, but it will provide the basis for both your later research and for your effectiveness as a delegate at the conference. The country research should encompass the economic and political systems of the country, the history and culture of the society, the demographics of the society, the geography of the country, the international and regional organizations the country belongs to, and the present influences the domestic situation has on the formulation of international policy.

Delegates should pay particular attention to the decision-making structure within the country. It is important to understand the actual, rather than the theoretical process of political decision-making. Sources of this information are discussed later in this document.

In general terms, the more you know and research about your country, the easier it will be for you to accurately formulate your country's positions relating to the topics under discussion. Items that are crucial to know include:

1) Geography: size and description, location, natural resources, and neighboring states and regions

2) Demographics: Statistics of the state’s population, population density and growth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality, literacy rate

3) Culture: majority and minority components, religions and their influences, language(s), and customs and traditions

4) Economy: type of economy, gross national product (GNP) and strength of economy, debt owed, average per capita income, major imports and exports, and trading partners

5) Government: type of government, leaders, political parties and opposing political faction, allies and enemies, membership of political and economic organizations, role in international politics

6) History of state: general history and reasons and philosophy behind present-day foreign policies.


It is important to realize that these previous examples are by no means the only items necessary to formulate correct policies. Each country has specific problems that only it deals with; these idiosyncrasies must also be accounted for during effective research on a country.

Additionally, your delegation should research your country’s relationship and role in the United Nations. This should include when your country became a member, committees and organizations of which you are a member, and how much money you annually contribute to the UN. Flagship programs with the UN and any other collaborations or interactions of note (ex. peacekeeping operations, major World Bank or IMF loan programs, public health campaigns, etc.) should also be addressed, especially if it pertains to individual committee topic research.

Step Two: Assimilation of Research The assimilation step of research is often the hardest thing for a delegate to accomplish. Try to put yourself in the place of someone from the country you are representing. It may seem difficult, but the more you talk about the various topic areas with your delegation, the more you will be able to understand why other countries behave the way they do. By using the knowledge gained through the background research, the delegate should be able to extrapolate how their nation might form a policy on a specific topic (even if the state’s actual policy on a topic is unknown). If this step is accomplished, a delegate, for instance, will be able to represent India and act as a representative of a developing, over-populated state desiring both stable international relations and economic growth. In this sense, an interdisciplinary approach to preparation is recommended. For example, the Commission on the Status of Women may be addressing female illiteracy; while the topic may not directly concern economic, political, or security issues, these aspects nonetheless inform how a state will approach the topic and possible solutions. A state with great political instability will bring this experience to the committee and advocate against solutions that rely too heavily on government support. If a delegate goes into the conference with concerns and attitudes of the country he or she is representing, then he or she will likely excel at the simulation.

Topic Research

With background and basic United Nations research accomplished, the delegate is in a position to begin formulating a policy for his/her country on the issues to be discussed at the NHSMUN conference. This process involves recognizing the various factors and processes that influence decision-making within the country, and applying this knowledge to the topics at hand. Often specific information on national policy is not available and it becomes necessary to display some educated creativity.

A delegate must first note the existing policy problem areas in order to formulate the country's policy. Although the problem will be explained in the committee Background Guide, the delegate must discover the importance of the issue in his or her own country. The delegate should understand the nature and the extent to which the topic affects his or her country. He or she should also be aware of the existing policies designed to meet the problem in his or her own country, the UN, and other international organizations. It is very important to note whether a conflict exists between those policies made in the UN and those within one’s “home” countries.

If no national policy exists on the topic the delegate should look at the various groups in the country with stands on the issues. The delegate must determine the level of access and power these groups


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have over the government. By weighing the power and access of the different groups, a delegate can infer the probable policy decision in the country on the issue.

In some cases, if there is limited information about the country's decision-making process or of its interest groups, the delegate may only be able to determine some of the variables involved. If this occurs, he or she will have to rely on the ideology of government, power, and the role of the individual upheld by the country in order to make an educated and defensible guess about the country’s policy on that particular issue.

Another possible approach to take when information is lacking is to look at the policies of countries with similar ideologies and regional interests. For example, many African states hold similar ideological and regional interests. For example, they may hold similar positions on many issues including the question of Namibia and South Africa. This manner of inferring policy should be used carefully, however, so that errors are not made. It would, for example, be a grave error to assume that Thailand and Vietnam are always in agreement with each other simply because they are both located in the same region of the globe.

By following this process as closely as possible, a delegate will be able to formulate policy for his or her country. The delegate will also discover the complex variables that affect policy formation throughout the world.

World Opinion

Once the delegates have completed the research on the United Nations, their own country, and the topics to be discussed, they must turn to the allies of their country and the various blocs. The delegate should know which countries will be supporting their position and what the position of the other blocs (groups of nations with similar interests) will be on the various problems to be discussed. He or she should also know which of these countries will be represented in the committee. It would also help to know where the different blocs will form on the issues in your committee.

RESEARCH SOURCES

With the questions of what and why to research answered we turn to the more difficult question of how to research (or perhaps more importantly “where”). The enormous amount of information available may seem a bit overwhelming. The following section contains an outline of a variety of the best sources available and the locations where they can be found. There are other sources, but these are what we believe to be the best.

Basic Preparation Materials

Devising practical recommendations and country policies for a committee require that delegates begin with a broad research base. The following preparatory materials serve well as a quick introduction to the UN system and to a historical overview of the topic areas. The United Nation’s Cyber School Bus website provides excellent Model United Nations resources, especially for new clubs. Another good starting point is the Model United Nations online resources provided by the


United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA). These materials have very good bibliographies that may aid in further research.

Topic Research Materials

After understanding the UN system and the role that your committee plays in it, then delegates will be able to tackle the task of researching their topics. Depending on the category and nuances of the topic, the best resources to use for researching the topics will vary. It is advisable to first consult the “Important Documents” section of your committee’s Background Guide as an introduction to the topics. However, there are many other general resources available that can easily launch a delegate’s research.

The United Nations Chronicle (UN Magazine) covers the current events of the UN including excerpts from the speeches of the member states. The Chronicle is published quarterly.

The Yearbook of the United Nations (UN publication) focuses on yearly developments within particular international issues. It is the most detailed, chronological narrative of United Nations activities. The only problem with this resource is that it is behind by a couple of years. It is not known if and when the United Nations will correct this problem.

Newspapers provide some of the best sources of current information on international affairs. The New York Times is an especially good source for up-to-date information about United Nations happenings. Other newspapers that are helpful include the Washington Post and the Times Of London.

News Magazines, including Time, Newsweek, and US News and World Report, are another good source of current international news. One of the most thorough and useful magazines is The Economist, a British news weekly. In addition, the World Press Review contains articles from news media from around the world. News magazines generally differ from newspapers in their objectivity; magazines are typically much more tolerant of overtly biased or argumentative columns outside of the Opinion section, while newspapers’ biases are typically more subtle, but uniform across articles.

Professional Journals also provide a wide variety of information on specific topics. Some of the more useful ones include:

• Bulletin of Atomic Scientists • Current History • Foreign Affairs • Foreign Policy • World Affairs • World Policy • Journal of Palestinian Studies • Middle East Journal

Unfortunately, many of these resources require subscriptions to access, which are likely inaccessible to high schools but often accessible to larger libraries. There are also many search engines capable of searching professional journals, such as JSTOR and WorldCat. Subscriptions are still required to


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access the content, though. If a local library does not provide access to these scholarly journals, the committee director almost certainly has access through their school, and would be more than willing to download resources for delegates.

Many of the organs, agencies, and even individual committees of the UN publish their own magazines (notably UNESCO Courier, Refugees, etc.). Look for these at your nearest UN Depository Library, or online.

Research on the Internet

The main thing to keep in mind when conducting research on the Internet is the source from which information is being drawn. You can be certain of the reliability of information obtained from the United Nations home page or the home pages of its committees, commissions, etc., but use caution when searching for information from potentially biased sources. When in doubt, stick with peer-reviewed sources that you know are reliable. Internet databases, to which most colleges and universities subscribe, are excellent and reputable sources of research. Your high school or local librarian can most likely point you in the direction of some useful databases. (Wikipedia and its subsidiary sites are under no circumstances considered reliable academic sources of information. Wikipedia is great for a general overview of a concept, but it is not an acceptable source to cite in a position paper.) If you have any questions about the reliability of a source on the Internet, or any other Internet-related research questions, please feel free to contact your individual committee director or the Director-General.

United Nations Depository Libraries

United Nations Depository Libraries are superb sources of primary UN materials. These libraries are where most delegates turn to locate UN documents. Worldwide, the UN has designated one archive in each country to house, free of charge, all UN documents. These reference centers are called UN Depositories. In the United States, the Library of Congress is the designated depository. Any institution, however, with storage facilities, may become a Depository by paying for the documents it receives. A list of UN Depositories can be found here.

Many contributing Depositories do not purchase all UN documents. You should check with your local libraries, university and public, for their status and hours. Always call ahead and talk to the documents librarian to get information on the hours of operation and to arrange for a librarian's help.

Missions and Embassies

A delegation can receive current information on its country by contacting the Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the country's Information Center, or its embassy in Washington, DC. With your request, it is best to include an explanation of what your group is involved in, a list of agenda items, and a request for information about your country's stands on these issues. The delegation also should request a copy of the opening policy statement given during the most current session of the General Assembly, as well as relevant speeches given in committee.


Not all countries will be able to honor your requests; many of the smaller states do not have the staff to handle a detailed inquiry. If they cannot supply you with this information there are other sources. You can access much of this information through UNDOC that lists the speeches of every member state by specific topics. Although they cannot give you the exact position of member nations, the information in the official records should be a big help. Having the exact document number when making your request will greatly speed the process.

In addition to the Permanent Missions to the UN and the Washington embassies, many countries also have consulates located throughout the United States and may be able to aid your needs and provide a resource close to home.

Resources Provided by NHSMUN

NHSMUN provides Background Guides to participants, which inform the delegates of their agenda, committee history, and a comprehensive history and description of the topics to be discussed. Delegates should direct their attention to the Important Documents Section of the Background Guide where directors have selected resources that are relevant to the topics. Please take advantage of this resource, as it will surely aid in delegate preparation and enhance performance in committee. While these guides provide valuable and plentiful information, these guides are meant only as a starting point for the delegates. Delegates who use these guides as their only means of preparation will not be prepared at the conference. The learning experience offered by the conference will be missed. If students still need help after reading the Background Guide, they should contact the committee Director. Names and addresses are provided in the papers themselves. Always feel free to contact the staff; they welcome delegate questions and inquiries.

NHSMUN hosts two excellent resources: the online Delegate Resource Center and the Research and Document Library, a new addition this year. The Delegate Resource Center (http://imuna.org/imuna-resources) provides delegates with several resources to help them prepare for committee. This webpage features research and preparation tips, a position paper writing guide, the Rules of Procedure, seminal UN treaties, and links to UN resources. The Research and Document Library (found on our website at http://imuna.org/research-archive) contains hundreds of documents uploaded by Directors to help with research. All documents can be sorted by committee, topic theme, organization, and/or country. Make sure to look for the Library as a starting point for research.

Finally, there are several ways that delegates and faculty members can connect to NHSMUN. Please follow our official Twitter account (@NHSMUN). Delegates are also encouraged to follow their committees’ official NHSMUN Twitter accounts, which can be found in each Background Guide. Committees will begin using those Twitter accounts to post helpful information and encourage thought-provoking debate even before the conference starts.

DELEGATION PREPARATION

Developing a Calendar

There are many ways in which a delegation can further prepare for the NHSMUN experience. A useful tool for organizing your schedule is a computer calendar that is easily changed and updated.


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The first thing that should be done is to establish a time line for the completion of the various aspects of research. This is especially important in order to insure that the delegation will not be delayed by potential problems. Arranging an appointment with the nearest UN Depository or Contributing Depository is also a very important early task.

Activities

Assignments In order to keep the delegation up-to-date, it is a good idea to assign weekly news summaries from different media (include newspapers, news-magazines, and television). Another possible activity is the creation of a UN scrapbook. The focus of this scrapbook should be developments in the assigned country and in the UN

Substantive Exercises Later on in the research schedule there are numerous ways to test and broaden the delegation’s knowledge. One way is to hold a panel discussion on one of the topics to be discussed at the Conference that has a particular importance to your country. It may also be a good idea to administer a test on the general policies of the country or countries you are representing at NHSMUN. It is very important that delegates are not only prepared for their specific topics but that they also are familiar with their country’s policies on related and other issues.

Mock Sessions Holding a mock committee session is very helpful, especially for organizations with inexperienced delegates. This activity gives the students an opportunity to practice committee simulation and will make them feel more comfortable when they participate in the Conference. A mock session also provides an excellent way to acquaint the delegation with the rules and familiarize them with other countries' positions on the topics that have been selected. You may wish to contact a local college Model UN or talk to your local UNA to see if they might be of assistance. NHSMUN staff can also be of assistance. Please email respective directors for any questions on the simulation portion located in the Background Guide.

Rules Training Another important step in the preparation process is developing knowledge of the rules. Before a delegate can learn to effectively negotiate his or her desires and national aims, a full understanding of committee procedures and rules is vital. NHSMUN conducts two rules sessions at the Conference but it would be beneficial if delegates had a chance to practice using the rules before the Conference.

First, a faculty advisor should help delegates review the NHSMUN Rules of Procedure, available later in this guide. A fun and equally worthwhile activity is a rules session. The rules session is intended to introduce newer delegates to the intricacies of Model UN. Although inexperienced students are the main beneficiaries, more experienced delegates also gain skills and can be called upon to help in preparation by explaining difficult situations or aiding in running these simulations.


When running a rules session, a fictional committee is simulated. Topics are chosen so that no research is necessary and that all students are able to participate. For example, you could simulate the Committee on Global Entertainment with the topics: (1) High School Movies, (2) Pop Stars, and (3) The Importance of YouTube. Topics such as these ensure that the simulation is enjoyable and they allow students to focus on the procedural rules of committee rather than research or country positions.

The chairperson should be experienced in the rules of procedure and feel comfortable leading a committee session. Resolutions can be prepared ahead of time or the delegates can draft them. Either way, make sure that they are not distributed until the proper motions are made. Another effective learning tool is to write up different motions and statements and distribute them to the students. The students then have to determine when a motion is appropriate. If they make mistakes, the chairperson should make corrections and explain the proper course of action.

These mock rules sessions have been run by our staff to train our Assistant Directors and Directors. Several high schools have chosen to run similar sessions and have also found them to be effective in training students about the rules of procedure.

Speeches Writing policy speeches is also an important step in preparation. The speeches need to be well organized and offer solutions. However, most of the speeches that are made during committee sessions will be more spontaneous, so it is a good idea to practice unprepared speeches as well. They not only will improve their speech delivery but they will also feel more comfortable responding to questions and participating in caucuses.

Position Papers Position Papers are a critical aspect of the NHSMUN conference preparation process. See the previous section on Position Papers in this guide for more information.


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COMMITTEE SESSIONS: A GUIDE TO PARTICIPATING AT NHSMUN

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS AND TERMS

The Committee Staff

The committee staff consists of the director, the assistant director (AD), and in the case of the main General Assembly committees, two ADs will be present. The director is the chief educator of the committee and is responsible for the substantive aspects of the committee session, the preparation of the Background Guide, and the general accuracy of the simulation. The AD assists the director in his or her responsibilities and prepares the Update Papers distributed at the beginning of committee session. Both the Director and the AD will handle the administrative details during committee and moderate debate.

Rules of Procedure

The committees at NHSMUN work within the rules of procedure formulated by the conference staff. Effective use of the rules is essential to a smooth-running and functional committee. A complete set of the NHSMUN rules of procedure is available online with other delegate preparation resources. These rules should be thoroughly reviewed by each delegate. Do not assume that your knowledge of the rules of other Model UN Conferences will apply equally at NHSMUN; no two Model UN conferences have the same rules. All delegates are encouraged to attend the rules session held before committees meet for the first time; first-time delegates are required to attend. Additionally, a separate rules session will be held for all committees with specialized rules before they convene (see the conference schedule for details).

Blocs

During the course of the conference, delegates may find themselves working in different blocs or groups of nations that vote and/or caucus together due to a set of similar interests and common views. The reasons for this unity can be historical, political, ideological, military, geographic, or economic in nature. These blocs unite on issues of importance to use their combined strength to press for opposition or support of resolutions, amendments, or concessions primary to their national interests. States acting together in blocs can accomplish things that as individual nations they could never hope to achieve. During caucus periods, blocs interact with one another and negotiate to further their goals--agreeing, for instance, to eliminate an unfavorable clause to gain support for their resolution, or promising to vote in favor of another bloc’s position if that bloc agrees to defeat the proposal of another, opposing bloc.

Examples of regional blocs are the African or Latin American blocs; ideological blocs include the non-aligned and the Eastern blocs; a bloc formed for military (and political and strategic) reasons is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The breakdown of blocs will vary from committee to committee and from issue to issue depending on the nature of the topic under discussion and the


blocs the delegates find most useful. The more political committees tend to split along regional lines (i.e. Western, African, Middle Eastern, Eastern, Asian, Latin American); however this is not universal—the non-aligned bloc tends to draw many developing and under-developed states away from their geographical bloc. One must note that regional or ideological interests are not always paramount. For example, Israel (a Middle Eastern state) traditionally votes with the Western bloc.

Role-Playing

Delegates will be expected to effectively act out the role of their assigned country representatives throughout the duration of the conference. This must be demonstrated both through proper conduct as a UN official and by the delegate’s aptitude in representing the interests of his or her country. Delegates will frequently be challenged to think on their feet and it is therefore important that all delegates be well versed in their national positions and in the reasons behind those positions.

It is absolutely critical that delegates be able to distinguish between their national policies and their fundamental national interests. A national position is the stance a country takes on an issue, the policy a delegate presents when negotiating with other delegates. A national interest is what a country deems vital to its existence. To illustrate this difference one need only consider the United States’ relationship with the Philippines. The US supported both the Marcos regime and its usurper, the Aquino government. This course of action by the US was largely due to the fact that the US benefits strategically by having a military base on Philippine soil. Thus, the policy of the United States changed from supporting Marcos to Aquino but its strategic interests remained the same.

A national position can be compromised for the sake of a greater good (especially if it achieves long-range interest goals or if it can be translated into direct benefits for the nation). A national interest cannot be compromised. Delegates should not be preoccupied with following blindly the stated positions of their country that they have come across in their research. Rather, they should identify the reasons behind those positions and extrapolate from the facts at their disposal the genuine national interest of their country beyond which they cannot compromise in negotiations. This is readily apparent to the dais staff, and is the mark of a talented and well-researched delegate By recognizing the difference between a national position and a national interest, delegates will be freer to actively participate in the negotiating process while accurately representing their country. Delegates can be creative in their approaches to problem solving and can thus get more out of their NHSMUN experience.

QUALITIES A SUCCESSFUL DELEGATE SHOULD HAVE

NHSMUN gives awards to delegations that exhibit exceptional performance at the conference; however, this is only possible if delegates and delegations intensely prepare for the conference by studying their topics and country, as well as training effective speaking and negotiation skills.

NHSMUN staffers are trained to recognize and encourage the following qualities in delegates, which form the basis of our awards policy. It should be noted that these qualities are hierarchical. Staffers do look for some qualities over others in order to discourage so-called “power delegates” from becoming a detriment to the entire committee’s experience. Collaboration, knowledge, interest in the topics, and demonstrated effort are valued more than the number of times a delegate speaks or the size of caucus blocs.


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1. Knowledge: Fundamentally, every successful NHSMUN delegate must be knowledgeable of the topics being discussed. Delegates should be familiar with the history and development of the topic, past UN actions taken to mitigate the problem, and should strive to be familiar with proposed solutions. However, a delegate must also be knowledgeable of his or her country’s policy on the topic; delegates cannot be true to the simulation without researching their country. Sometimes, the policy is well known and easy to research; other times, a delegate will need to infer policy based on his or her country’s history, response to similar conflicts, regional partners/interests, etc. Without having a sound knowledge of this information, a delegate cannot hope to be successful in the subsequent target areas.

2. Well-Spoken: While knowledge of the topic and country policy is invaluable, it is not very useful unless the delegate has the ability to convey that policy to others. Delegates should be comfortable with speaking in a variety of settings, from speaking in front of the whole committee, to speaking as part of caucus blocs, as well as one-on-one communication. Using effecting speaking techniques to hold an audience’s attention is a must, as well as the ability to control the thoughts conveyed in the speech — delegates who veer off topic will not be able to use their limited time to the best of their ability.

3. Collaborative: Once the ideas are known and conveyed, it becomes important for delegates to take on the task of compromising their country policy with other countries. This task is very challenging. In order to properly compromise, delegates must have a deep enough knowledge of their policy to understand what is at the “core” of that policy and what is at the periphery. Compromising the core of a policy is unacceptable, but delegates should be willing to compromise the periphery as well as convince other delegates to compromise with the periphery of their policies. This deep analysis of a country’s policy is the mark of a well-researched and thoughtful delegate and is valued in every NHSMUN committee.

4. Leadership: Leadership skills are typically the first skillset a delegate strives for, but without the previous three qualities listed here, leadership is an empty talent. In caucus bloc, while collaborating and compromising with other delegates, a good delegate will find himself or herself becoming a leader in the caucus bloc. Leadership should not be authoritarian, though. A good leader knows how to listen to those who are following. Furthermore, a good leader is skilled at managing people. Giving other delegates levels of responsibility (such as assigning one delegate to lead a group to work on an operative clause) will make the leader much more effective and the group much more productive.

5. Creativity: Creativity is the highest quality NHSMUN looks for in delegates. If a delegate has mastered the ability to be creative with his or her solutions, then that delegate truly understands the spirit of the simulation and what it means to be a UN representative. Creativity is simply the ability to understand the problems that past attempts at solving the topic have run into, then (after collaboration and leadership within a caucus bloc) solving those problems to create better solutions. This is the level that most UN representatives operate at, and so is the highest mark we can give.


AN OUTLINE OF A NHSMUN COMMITTEE

Setting the Agenda

The first matter to be considered in committee following the taking of the role (and an orientation speech by the committee staff) will be the setting of the agenda. Each committee has a provisional agenda prior to the session. The provisional agenda consists of the topics presented in the Background Guide. The committee must choice the order in which to address these topics. Traditionally, the time allotted for debate at NHSMUN provides committees with enough time to thoroughly address only one topic.

A Speakers' List will be established for the purpose of debate on the order of the agenda. Delegates may begin making motions proposing an agenda only after the chairperson has deemed that sufficient debate has taken place. The motion must include all topics on the provisional agenda (ex. a motion to address Topic B first and Topic A second, or vice versa). If the chairperson accepts the motion, it will be put to an immediate vote. If a proposed order passes, debate on the agenda is over, and debate on the first topic begins. If the motion fails, debate on the agenda continues until another motion is made and passed.

General Debate on the Topic

Once a topic area has been opened, a new Speakers' List will be taken, and formal debate on the topic area will begin. Normally, debate will begin in a very general way, with delegates making policy statements and suggesting broad solutions. After the main issues have been outlined (which delegates should have been aware of before the session opened) and individual country positions established, someone will call for a caucus (see below). The formal session will recess and delegates will informally begin to discuss the issues and draft proposals. Normally, it takes the first two sessions to get the issues on the table and delegates adjusted to the committee format.

NHSMUN attempts to simulate as closely as possible the workings of the actual United Nations. The work of the United Nations is carried out within its committees and organizations, and these bodies formulate policy by way of debate. For this reason, each Director includes a section in his or her Background Guide on how the debate will be structured (the “Simulation” section). In a more general sense, however, a mastery and understanding of the three basic types of debate is a must for a delegate on any committee.

Formal Debate — This is traditional debate, carried out entirely within the Rules of Procedure. On substantive matters, it consists of speakers who speak in an order determined by the Speakers' List, and who may choose to answer questions on the substance of their speech. The chairperson moderates this debate, and all motions concerning the debate must pass through him or her. Formal debate is the framework within which all voting and submission of formal resolutions must take place.

Informal Debate — Informal debate, sometimes called a moderated caucus, is a “suspension of the rules” which may be allowed by the chairperson to facilitate discussion. A formal Speakers' List is not drawn up; delegates are recognized to speak by the chairperson at the conclusion of each speech. Generally, this kind of debate takes the form of a roundtable discussion. It allows a greater measure


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of give and take between delegates and enables issues to be addressed and clarified when formal rules may be too cumbersome. It can be an effective tool (especially in smaller committees) and its use is at the discretion of the chairperson.

Caucusing — Caucusing, like informal debate, is a temporary recess of the committee meeting, when proposals are drawn up and consensus building, negotiation, and compromise take place. Caucusing provides the opportunity for written words to be put to the concepts and thoughts voiced in more formal debate. Caucusing is the primary “working mode” of the committee. Blocs use this opportunity to consolidate and discuss their positions, and to communicate between each other. Working papers and resolutions, discussed below, are usually drafted during these unmoderated caucuses.

Working Papers

Before composing a formal resolution to deal with the topic problems, delegates may wish to transfer their general ideas into a working paper, or rough draft. A group of nations from the same geographic bloc or of similar ideological persuasion usually forms working papers. Working papers need not be written in formal resolution format; they can be as simple as few major points neatly jotted down on paper. The purpose of a working paper is to have something in writing to serve as a starting reference point during caucus and formal debate. Though not formally introduced to the committee, working papers may be copied (by NHSMUN administrative staff) and distributed in committee, with the Director’s approval. Working papers serve to help delegates identify the different views of the countries in the committee and facilitate the negotiation process. Combining the content of several working papers usually forms resolutions.

Resolutions

At some point in the debate, usually well into the second or third session, a group of delegates (sponsors) who have been working on a proposal (perhaps in working paper form) will find they have enough support to formally bring their resolution before the committee. All this really means is that the resolution is assigned a number designator (e.g. 1.1 for the first resolution on Topic 1), typed, duplicated and distributed to the committee.

The director authorizes the copying and distribution of a resolution or working papers. To introduce a resolution to the full committee, a minimum number of signatures are needed to justify bringing it before the committee. It is important for delegates to take note that signing a resolution (or being a signatory) does not constitute endorsing it; by signing a resolution the delegate only indicates that he or she believes that the resolution deserves debate before the full committee. The writers of a resolution (who do endorse the content of the document) are the sponsors, and they are considered endorsers and proponents of all the content in the resolution. To introduce a resolution, one-fifth of the committee body must be sponsors or signatories of the documents (there must be at least one sponsor per resolution).

Pre-written resolutions are not allowed at NHSMUN. A pre-written resolution is a document written before the conference, sometimes known as a “pre-write.” A delegate may, however, want to write down some major points that address the problem areas of the topics before the conference to serve as a reference. Pre-written resolutions go against basic NHSMUN philosophy. Debate should


consist of the presentation of policies upon which solutions can be based, not the presentation of pre-written resolutions upon which policies can be based. NHSMUN recognizes that the effectiveness and importance of the United Nations lies in its capacity for international discussion. Long-term solutions are mainly derived from altering world opinion, which is possible only through debate.

Amendments

After a resolution is debated in committee, it is common for changes both small and large to be made to the document. These changes most often come in the form of amendments to the resolution. Time and resource constraints often do not allow delegates to submit new resolutions late in committee debate, so when possible clauses and sub-clauses in existing resolutions are added, subtracted, or re-worded according to the committee’s preferences. Amendments are giving consistent numbering; for example, Amendment 1.2.1 is the first amendment to Resolution 1.2 and Amendment 1.2.2 is the second amendment to Resolution 1.2. There is no limit to the amount of changes an amendment can make to a resolution. Amendments are often used to combine multiple resolutions into one cohesive document.

At NHSMUN, there are no “friendly amendments.” A friendly amendment is when all the sponsors of a resolution agree on an amendment. In such a situation, the amendment does not need to be voted on and it automatically applies to the resolution it pertains to. This is not acceptable at NHSMUN; all amendments most be voted on by the entire committee, just like all resolutions. An amendment needs director approval and one-tenth of the committee body as sponsors or signatories to be introduced to the committee. Amendments are voted on before resolutions, staring with the most destructive. (For example, if Amendment 1.1.1 deals with the wording of clause 3 and Amendment 1.1.2 calls to strike clause 3 all together, the latter will be voted on first, as it is the most destructive. Should Amendment 1.1.2 pass, it would thus render Amendment 1.1.1 irrelevant to the resolution.)

Voting

Generally, it becomes apparent that debate on a topic has reached some sort of conclusion, consensus, or final stage beyond which the arguments only repeat themselves. At this time the director may allow a motion that debate be closed on the topic area. Should the committee pass such a motion, debate on the topic area closes and all resolutions before the committee are brought to an immediate vote. Such a step is not to be taken lightly, for it generally means that no further discussion on the topic is possible and that the committee moves on to the next agenda item. (Debate may also be “tabled.” This means leaving the topic without voting on resolutions. The committee may then vote at some future point to take the debate up again. Tabling is useful when the debate becomes deadlocked, but is generally discouraged due to limited conference time.)

The committee takes two types of votes: procedural and substantive. Procedural votes pertain to logistical issues, for example the length of speaking time. Procedural votes take place routinely throughout debate, largely about motions concerning the type of debate to take place (e.g. moderated caucus). There are no abstentions to procedural matters.

Substantive votes pertain to all content-driven matters before the committee, like passing an amendment or resolution. During substantive voting procedure, the chamber, or committee room, is


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sealed and no one is permitted to leave or enter the room. Most voting procedures use a simple majority vote, meaning the item must pass by a majority of half the committee body plus one. Delegates may abstain from voting, and their vote is not counted in the total number of votes; to pass, a resolution only needs a majority plus one of delegates who have cast votes. Certain items must pass by a two-thirds majority, including reconsideration (Rule 49), important question status (Rule 48), and closer of debate (Rule 36).

PREPARING AND DELIVERING SPEECHES

Communication is fundamental for the delegate. He or she must be able to verbalize ideas and support arguments clearly and concisely to a single person as well as to large groups. Delegates should learn to speak from prepared notes as well as extemporaneously. All speeches, whether they are written weeks or minutes in advance, should be clear and concise. They should address the issue at hand, whether it is substantive or procedural, and remain germane throughout. Written speeches will help to ensure that delegates do not leave important points out.

Writing the Speech — Although most of the speeches that a delegate gives will be delivered extemporaneously (with little time for preparation), there are occasions when formal speeches can be given. Even these prepared statements, however, may need to be altered in the course of the general debate in order to respond to points made by other delegates. This flexibility is important to keeping the main points of the speech engaging and listening to listeners (delegates).

Generally, the speeches that are well-suited for extensive preparation are policy speeches, especially speeches establishing a country’s policy at the start of debate. A good initial policy speech should meet the following requirements.

• Broad introduction to the country’s goals on the specific issues • Specific positions on various aspects of the issue at hand • Supporting arguments • A conclusion summarizing your case

Extemporaneous Speeches — These spur-of-the-moment speeches will be the primary vehicle for the delegate’s communications of his or her ideas as they develop during committee. A few minutes of planning will make the speech much more effective; a rambling delegate will quickly lose the attention of the committee. The following tips on extemporaneous speeches should be helpful:

• Make notes on opposing viewpoints while they are being given • Answer each point directly • Keep notes on the speeches of your bloc partners; bring out points which they have omitted,

reemphasize concepts which may be still unclear • Highlight important sections of the resolutions and tell why they are important • Use your notes so that you do not omit important points


Delivering the Speech — Good speaking skills are necessary in the United Nations because both formal and informal meetings require that your words reach a large audience. Because most people have had a fair amount of practice in speaking to small groups, this section concentrates on the skills necessary in speaking to a large group. The points made, however, can easily be applied to a small group situation. The following tips may be helpful:

• Know what you are going to say before you say it; even extemporaneous speakers should have a general outline for what they want to say.

• Speak loudly; take advantage of any available sound amplification systems. • Speak slowly; allow your words to sink in. Do not, however, fill the spaces between your

words with monosyllables like “um” and “and.” Silence isn’t a bad thing in a speech, and it can, in fact, be quite powerful.

• Practice pre-written speeches in advance • Try to add some interesting points about your country to the body of your speech. This will

make your speech more interesting, causing more delegates to pay attention to it

NEGOTIATING

Delegates must develop negotiating skills so that they may attain their country’s aims, whatever they may be. This includes adopting a strategy and using the proper tactics to accomplish the desired goal. To be an effective negotiator, delegates must be tactically as well as substantively prepared before the conference begins. In researching their country, committee and issues, they should for each agenda item formulate an objective, strategy, and tactics. Student’s objectives should address such questions as: does my country have a specific position on this issue; does it wish to see concrete action taken?

Once a delegate has thought through the objectives of his or her country in the debate, he or she should prepare a strategy and tactics for reaching that objective. Examples range from delaying debate through procedural means to utilizing speeches in order to persuade fellow delegates. Obviously, a delegate should develop a strategy that achieves as many of his or her country’s objectives as possible without losing sight of the overall goal in negotiating any one point.

A last note: To negotiate is to practice diplomacy. It is a careful balancing of the ideological against the practical, of the necessity of compromise against the policy and priorities of the nation one represents. This is not always easy, but in many ways it is one of the most rewarding aspects of the conference.

WRITING

Writing is an essential skill used to transfer acquired research and the process of debate into a usable form. Drafting and writing may result in working papers, resolutions, news articles, or court decisions. It may also result in frustration. Every word counts when composing a negotiated document. In the end, all the actions of the United Nations appear in written form. If a delegate cannot write well, he or she is forced to rely on the ability of others to promote his or her ideas.

Drafting — Creating a written statement of aims, goals and a means of effective action is the ultimate goal of debate on any topic. The process that generates such a document is termed drafting. Drafting


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as a process is the written result of compromise and consensus built in debate and caucus. Drafting is a continual process of revision, and delegates should never view any “draft” as the finished product that the entire committee should accept.

Drafting involves building agreement through accommodating other delegate’s concerns. This accommodation takes place by changing the document’s operatives or elaborating on potentially confusing or misleading points. These changes are sometimes as extensive as altering the content, or sometimes as minute as substituting an alternate word choice. While certain countries may play the key roles in writing a resolution, many delegates will want to have input. A bloc, for example, may designate certain countries to be part of the drafting group, but all countries expect to review the document before it comes up for a vote. Many will try to make changes at that time.

Wording — Negotiations over revisions usually take the form of disputes over wording. At times, an argument over semantics (the meaning of a word in relation to others) will be one that is essential to the meaning of the document. Consider, for example, the difference between calling the Hamas a “terrorist organization” or “a collection of freedom fighters” in your resolution. The tone of the documents would be very different. Thus, delegates need to be aware of the implications of using certain crucial words.

Precision of Meaning — Most seasoned diplomats argue for more precision and clarity in almost every document that comes in front of them. They reason that a hard-fought agreement deserves to be written so that it means just what the parties have verbally accepted. In this way, misunderstandings and false interpretations can be avoided. Once an issue is settled verbally, it should not be later re-opened in a dispute over language and interpretation

The ideal of clarity cannot always be achieved. On occasion, particularly controversial or petty points are written in ways that leave room for several interpretations. Usually this is done to allow progress on the more important aspects of the issue. A classic case of this “constructive ambiguity” is found in Security Council Resolution 242 that established a framework for peace after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It called for “withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” The text leaves unclear whether Israel should withdraw from all or some territories (and if not all, then which ones?) The principal sponsors maintained that the ambiguity was unavoidable and necessary in order to pass a resolution that would help to reduce tensions in the Middle East.

Sometimes, ambiguity is not unintentional, it is just unavoidable. Resolutions are often vague is that details of implementation cannot always be spelled out. Later work almost always remains to be done, subject to further negotiations. It is important when leaving language vague to make the intent of a resolution clear while leaving any minute details that the body might not be appropriate for handling out. For example, when the Security Council creates a peacekeeping mission, it makes the intent and mission statement of the mission clear, but does not try to tackle the minutiae of deploying the force such as distribution of troops, supply lines, etc., unless they are critically pertinent to the discussion over whether the force should be established at all.


THE RESOLUTION FORMAT

A resolution is one (very long) sentence with a complicated style. This section will guide delegates through the details of how to draft a resolution. Note that a sample resolution is provided at the end of this section.

The resolution begins with a header, as a standard letter might. The top of the document should contain the committee name (“The World Health Organization” for example), topic, and a list of sponsors. Titles for the resolution are optional.

After the subject comes the preambulatory clauses. Formally, these are participle or adjectival phrases modifying the subject. Informally, they describe the committee’s intent, motivation, and frame of mind in writing the resolution. Preambulatory clauses are followed by a comma and begin with an underlined participle or adjective, which is capitalized. Examples of these “first words” include:

Affirming

Alarmed by

Approving

Aware of

Bearing in mind

Believing

Confident

Considering also

Contemplating

Convinced

Declaring

Deeply concerned

Deeply conscious

Deeply convinced

Deeply disturbed

Deeply regretting

Desiring

Emphasizing

Expecting

Expressing its satisfaction

Expressing its wish

Fulfilling

Fully alarmed

Fully aware

Fully believing

Further deploring

Further recalling

Gravely concerned

Guided by

Having adopted

Having considered

Having considered further

Having devoted attention

Having examined

Having heard

Having received

Having studied

Keeping in mind

Noting further

Noting with approval

Noting with deep concern

Noting with regret

Noting with satisfaction

Noting with zest

Observing

Reaffirming

Recalling

Recognizing

Referring

Reiterating

Seeking

Taking into account

Taking into consideration

Taking note


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Viewing with appreciation Welcoming

The operative clauses, which follow the perambulatory clauses, formally make the predicate of the sentence. More informatively, they contain the action of the resolution. Each operative clause begins with a capitalized present tense verb in the third person singular. Each “paragraph” formed by a new operative verb is indented five spaces, numbered, indented to the tenth space, and finally ended with a semicolon. The last paragraph ends with a period. The following are representatives of operative verbs:

Accepts

Affirms

Appeals

Approves

Authorizes

Calls

Calls upon

Commends

Condemns

Confirms

Congratulates

Considers

Decides

Declares accordingly

Demands(*)

Deplores

Designates

Draws the attention

Emphasizes

Encourages

Endorses

Expresses its appreciation

Expresses its hope

Further endorses

Further invites

Further proclaims

Further recommends

Further reminds

Further requests

Further resolves

Has resolved

Notes

Offers

Proclaims

Reaffirms

Recommends

Reminds

Renews

Requests

Solemnly affirms

Strongly condemns

Supports

Takes note of

Transmits

Trusts

Urges

(*) only the Security Council may “demand”


GLOSSARY OF USEFUL TERMS

ABM: Anti-Ballistic Missile.

Abstain: to refrain from casting a "yes" or "no" vote.

Activist: an individual who is extensively and vigorously involved in political activity, either within or outside the governmental system.

Adjourn: to suspend a session to another time or place or indefinitely.

Adjudge: to decide or rule upon as a judge.

Agenda: a list of specific items of business to be considered at a legislative session, conference, or meeting.

ALBM: Air Launched Ballistic Missile.

Annex: to incorporate into a country the territory of another country.

Apartheid: the official policy of racial discrimination that existed in South Africa until the late 1990s.

Arbitration: process by which an outsider is authorized to dictate the terms of a settlement of a dispute if a voluntary agreement cannot be reached.

Armistice: a temporary peace agreement.

ASAT: Anti-Satellite weapon.

Auspices: protection or patronage.

Autonomy: independence, self-government.

Belligerent: group or state that is engaged in a war or military conflict.

Bilateral: having or involving two sides.

Boycott: refusing to deal with a person, group, state, or group of states so as to punish or show disapproval.

Breach of treaty: failure to observe the terms of a signed treaty.

Build down: the theory of building up the weapons arsenals of the US and USSR until equal and then negotiating reductions in arms from their new equal standing.

Capitalism: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods by investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state-control, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.

Cartel: an association of industrialists or states formed to establish an international monopoly.


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Caucus: a meeting among delegates to discuss policy and topics outside of the formal meeting.

Censorship: broadly, any government restrictions on speech or writing; more precisely, government restrictions on forms of expression before they are disseminated.

Censure: to blame, criticize adversely, or express disapproval.

Coalition: combination of two or more factions or parties for the purpose of achieving some political goal.

Communism: a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production with the professed aim of establishing a stateless society.

Compensary financing: credit designed to help raw material producer members of the IMF in times of poor markets for their exports.

Coup d’é tat : a sudden and decisive act in politics, usually bringing about a change in government unlawfully and by force.

Cruise missile: A long-range jet-propelled, winged-bomb which can be launched from land, sea, or air and targeted by remote control; usually considered to be more accurate and low-flying than traditional missiles.

Decolonization: process of transferring a colony to a self-governing area.

Deflation: a sustained decrease in the general price level.

Demilitarize: to free from military control.

Depression: a severe economic slump (worse than a recession) characterized by very high unemployment.

Deregulation: the act or process of removing restrictions and regulations (typically state regulations).

Destabilization: the process of a government becoming unsteady or unstable.

Detainment: detention, confinement.

Developing states: states in the process of building a stable economy, government, and/or society, usually with a low per capita income and GNP.

Dilatory: causing delay, repetitive.

Diplomatic immunity: special privileges accorded to diplomats and their families and staffs by international agreement, including freedom from arrest, search, and taxation.

Disarmament: the act of disarming; reduction of military forces and equipment.

Dissemination: the act or process of scattering or state of being scattered; usually referring to distribution of information.


Eastern bloc: formerly, the group of states led by the Soviet Union, whose general theory of government was communism.

Epidemic: An outbreak of an infectious disease in an area where the disease in not already prevalent; an epidemic is confined to a locality, small region, or single country.

Expansionism: a state philosophy wherein a state believes that it must expand its borders (usually by invading or annexing other existing states) to meet its people’s needs.

Expropriation: the taking of property into public ownership without compensation, such as the property of foreign investors or foreign industry in a state.

Extradition: the surrender of a prisoner or fugitive by one state, state, or legal authority to another.

Foreign intervention: interference by one state into the affairs of another, usually by means of force.

Forum: an assembly for discussing questions of foreign interests.

GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; the agreement precursor to the current World Trade Organization, started in 1944 during the Bretton Woods Conference.

GNP: Gross National Product; the total value of the goods and services produced in a state during a specific period of time.

HEU: Highly Enriched Uranium; material necessary for the construction of nuclear weapons.

ICBM: Intercontinental Ballistic Missile; a missile, normally with multiple warheads, with a long range.

Ideology: a comprehensive set of political, economic, and social views or ideas, particularly concerned with the form and role of government.

Inflation: a sustained increase in the general price level.

Integrity: honesty; sincerity; trustworthiness.

inter al ia : among other things.

Internal affairs: having to do with operations within a state; domestic affairs.

Junta: a political or military group holding power after a revolution; a political faction; an assembly or council for deliberation or administration, especially in Spanish-speaking states.

Jurisdiction: authority vested in a court to hear and decide certain types of cases; term literally means “to say the law.”

Least developed countries (LDCs): countries whose share of output composed of agricultural products, mining, and the like is relatively high, which engage in relatively little industrial high-technology activity, and whose per capita incomes are generally comparatively low.


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Mandate: a commission given to one state by a group of states to administer the government and affairs of a territory or colony.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): the product of the UN Millennium Summit and 2000 Millennium Declaration; these eight goals focus on major developmental hurdles to be met by 2015. Goals include reducing child and maternal mortality rates, fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, and promoting gender equality.

Mediation: process in which an outsider is brought into a dispute negotiation in the hopes that this person can lead the two sides to a voluntary agreement through persuasion.

Multinational corporation (MNC): a company having branches in several states.

National debt: a government's total indebtedness, which has resulted from previous deficits.

Nationalize: to invest control or ownership of industry in the national government.

Natural resources: those actual or potential forms of wealth supplied by nature, such as coal, oil, water power, arable land, etc.

NGO: Non-Governmental Organization.

Non-aligned: a state not politically tied to another, usually taking a neutral position between large power blocs.

Oligarchy: a system of government in which political power is exercised by a small group of people, usually self-selected.

Orphan diseases: isolated yet deadly diseases that have no cure as yet.

Pandemic: when an epidemic crosses national and/or continental boundaries, it takes on pandemic status.

Patent: a temporary grant of monopoly rights over an invention.

Peacebuilding: term connoting activities that go beyond crisis intervention such as longer-term development and the building of governance structures and institutions. It includes building the capacity of non-governmental organizations.

Peacekeeping: a United Nations presence in the field (normally involving civilian and military personnel) that, with the consent of the conflicting parties, implements or monitors arrangements relating to the control of conflicts and their resolution, or ensures the safe delivery of humanitarian relief.

Peacekeeping force: a force sent to maintain, enforce, or intervene to achieve a cessation of hostilities between opposing armies, states, or other groups.

Plenary session: a session attended by all of its qualified members.


Procedural: of or relating to procedure.

Proliferation: spreading; propagation.

Protectionism: the process of government economic protection for domestic producers through restrictions on foreign competition.

Protectorate: a weak state under the protection and partial control of a stronger state. The political implications of a state being identified as a protectorate are often very ambiguous.

Rapporteur: a member of a legislative, military, or other official group appointed to record and make or draw up a report.

Recession: period during which the total output of the economy declines.

Sanction: an action by several states toward another state intended as a punishment for breaches or international law or acts of aggression.

Satellite state: a country that is independent, although is well entrenched into a bloc dominated by another more powerful state.

Secretariat: the official office or position of Secretary-General; the department, including staff, buildings, etc. controlled by the Secretary-General.

Self-determination: the decision by the people of a nation as to what form of government they shall have, without reference to the wishes of any other state or nation.

SLBM: Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile.

Socialism: a theory or system of social organization by which the major means of production and distribution are owned, manages, and controlled by the government, by an association or workers, or the community as a whole.

Sovereign: independent of all others; supreme in power, rank, or authority.

Substantive: real, actual, essential.

Suspend: to cause to stop temporarily, as a meeting; to set aside or make temporarily inoperative, as the rules.

Tariff: a schedule of duties, rates, or charges imposed by the government on imported or exported items.

Trusteeship: the administration by a state of a trust territory, approved by the UN, usually with the idea that the trust territory will be developed toward self-government or independence in the future.

Terrorism: use of terror, especially the systematic use of terror by the government or other authority against particular persons or groups; a method of opposing a government internally or externally through.


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Void: without legal force or effect; not binding by law.

Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD): weapons whose effects are widespread or deemed to be excessively injurious to civilians or the environment, e.g. chemical, biological, and radiological warfare.

Western bloc: group of states whose general theory of government is democratic and capitalist. Includes mostly developed states.


NHSMUN RULES OF PROCEDURE

Rule 1 — Date of Meeting

The General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council shall meet every year in regular session.

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Rule 2 — Emergency Session

Emergency sessions invoked under General Assembly Resolution 377 A (V) shall be immediately convened upon the request of the Secretary-General.

Comment — General Assembly Resolution 377 A (V), known as the "Uniting for Peace Resolution," allows the Security Council, in the event of a veto, to refer an issue to the General Assembly Plenary. Such a motion requires the affirmative vote of seven (7) Members and is not subject to a veto. Security Council powers such as mandatory sanctions or military action may not be exercised by the General Assembly. Any General Assembly resolutions voted upon under this procedure require a two-thirds majority for passage.

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Rule 3 — Emergency Special Session; Agenda

Notwithstanding the provisions of any other rule and unless the General Assembly decides otherwise, the Assembly, in the case of an emergency special session, shall convene to discuss only the item under consideration.

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Rule 4 — Delegations

The delegation of a Member State shall consist of no more than two representatives in any committee.

Comment — Regardless of the number of representatives, a Member State has only one vote in each committee in which it is a member.

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Rule 5 — Credentials

The credentials and the names of representatives of Member States shall be submitted to the Secretary-General if possible not later than one week before the opening of the session.

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Rule 6 — Credentials Committee


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The Credentials Committee shall be composed of a representative of each of those Member States elected to serve on the Credentials Committee of the current session of the General Assembly. It shall examine the credentials of representatives and report without delay.

Comment — The Credentials Committee is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all representatives seated at the United Nations are in fact representative of the people of that nation. The credentials of any representative may be referred to the Credentials Committee, which meets at the end of the last regular committee session. The Credentials Committee will submit its recommendation, in resolution form, to the General Assembly Plenary for its decision. The Credentials Committee of the conference shall be composed of the same nations as the Credentials Committee of the current session of the United Nations.

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Rule 7 — Provisional Admission to a Session

Any representative to whose admission a Member has made objection shall be seated provisionally with the same rights as other representatives until the Credentials Committee has reported and the General Assembly has rendered a decision on the matter.

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Rule 8 — General Committee; Composition

The General Committee shall be composed of a representative of each of those Member States which have been elected to serve as the President of the General Assembly or the Vice-President or the Chairman of a Main Committee at the current session of the General Assembly. No two Members of the General Committee shall be representatives of the same Member State and the General Committee shall be so constituted as to ensure its representative character.

Comment — The General Committee of the conference shall be composed of the same Member States as the General Committee of the current session of the United Nations.

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Rule 9 — General Committee; Functions

The General Committee shall convene prior to the final plenary session of the General Assembly. The General Committee shall determine the agenda of the final plenary session. The General Committee shall not consider the substance of any issue, and shall meet at the request of the Secretary-General.

Comment — The General Committee will order the resolutions passed by each Main Committee for the consideration of the plenary session.

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Rule 10 — Duties of the Secretary-General


The Secretary-General shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, their committees and subcommittees. The Secretary-General may designate a member of the Secretariat to act in the place of the Secretary-General at these meetings. The Secretary-General shall provide and direct the staff required by the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and any committees or subsidiary organs which they may establish.

Comment — The term "Secretariat" refers collectively to those designated to act on behalf of the Secretary-General.

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Rule 11 — Statements by the Secretariat

The Secretary-General, or a member of the Secretariat designated by the Secretary-General as his or her representative, may make, at any time, either oral or written statements to any plenary meeting or any committee or subcommittee concerning any question under consideration by it.

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Rule 12 — Functions of the Chairman

The Chairman shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the committee, direct its discussions, ensure observance of the rules of procedure, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions. The Chairman shall rule on points of order and, subject to these rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings at any meeting and over the maintenance of order thereat. The Chairman may, in the course of the discussion of an item, propose to the committee the limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers, the closure of the list of speakers, or the closure of the debate. The Chairman may also propose the suspension or adjournment of the meeting or the adjournment of debate on the item under discussion.

Comment — The Chairman shall have discretionary powers to entertain a motion, or suggest to the body that a motion would be in order, or choose not to entertain a motion and suggest that it be withdrawn. The Chairman may rule a motion out of order, thus disallowing that motion.

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Rule 13 — Invitation to Silent Prayer or Meditation

Immediately after the opening of the first plenary meeting and immediately preceding the closing of the final plenary meeting of each session of the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council, the Chairman shall invite representatives to observe a moment of silence dedicated to prayer or meditation.

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Rule 14 — Establishment of Committees and Subcommittees

The General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council may establish such committees as they deem necessary for the performance of their functions. Each committee may set up subcommittees.


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Rule 15 — Notification Under Article 12 of the Charter

The Secretary-General, with the consent of the Security Council, shall notify the General Assembly, at each session, of any matters relative to the maintenance of international peace and security which are under consideration by the Security Council, and shall similarly notify the General Assembly, or the Members of the United Nations if the General Assembly is not in session, immediately when the Security Council ceases to consider such matters.

Comment — Technically the General Assembly is not permitted to discuss or vote on an issue that is under consideration by the Security Council. However, in practice, the General Assembly both discusses and votes on different aspects of issues before the Security Council.

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Rule 16 — Provisional Agenda

The Provisional Agenda for a regular session of all committees and organs of the United Nations shall be drawn up by the Secretary-General and communicated to the Members of the United Nations at least sixty (60) days before the opening of the session.

Comment — The Provisional Agenda is the topic list provided by the Directors of the committees. The order of the topics does not imply the order of the agenda.

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Rule 17 — Adoption of the Agenda

Each committee shall order the provisional agenda provided by the Secretary-General. A proposed agenda shall include all topics provided in the provisional agenda. It requires a simple majority to approve an agenda order and proposed agendas shall be voted upon in the order in which they were proposed.

Comment — The first item of business for each committee will be to order its agenda. A speakers' list will be established for purposes of discussing the order of the agenda. After a sufficient number of speakers have spoken on the order of the agenda, a Member may move, from the floor, that a particular agenda order be adopted. If properly moved, an immediate procedural vote will be conducted. If the proposed agenda passes, debate on the order of the agenda will be deemed to have been closed, the speakers' list will be discarded, and the committee will begin consideration of the first agenda topic. If the proposed agenda fails, the committee will continue debate, using the same speakers' list, until another order is proposed. If a proposed agenda fails, it may be reintroduced at a later time.

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Rule 18 — Change of Agenda


A committee may change the order in which it considers agenda topics. The Chairman may entertain one speaker for, and one against, a motion to change the order. A simple majority vote is required to change the order in which agenda topics will be discussed.

Comment — A motion to change the order of the agenda may only be moved after a substantive topic has been closed and all related resolutions and amendments have been put to a vote. A motion to change the agenda may not be moved during the substantive debate of any topic.

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Rule 19 — Quorum

The Chairman may declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed or a procedural vote to be taken when at least one-quarter of the members of the committee are present. The presence of a majority of the members of the committee shall be required for any substantive decision to be taken.

Comment — Procedural votes refer to motions regarding the process of the discussion (e.g. a motion for recess, or closure of the speakers' list). Substantive votes address the substance of the topic under discussion (e.g. a vote on the contents of a resolution or amendment).

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Rule 20 — Speeches

No Member may address a committee without having previously obtained the permission of the Chairman. The Chairman shall take a speakers' list in the order in which the Members signify their desire to speak. The Chairman shall call a speaker to order if the speaker's remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.

Comment — Members may speak as often as they wish, however, Members must wait until they have already spoken before being placed on the speakers' list again.

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Rule 21 — Language and Interpretation

English shall be the official and the working language of the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and their committees and subcommittees. Any Member may make a speech in any language other than the official language. In this case, the Member shall provide for simultaneous interpretation into the official language.

Comment — The time required for translation and the original speech shall both be counted against the speaker's time.

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Rule 22 — Time Limit on Speeches


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The Chairman may, upon consultation with the committee or as a result of a motion by a member of the committee, limit the time allowed to each speaker on any question. When debate is limited and a speaker exceeds the allotted time, the Chairman shall call that speaker to order without delay.

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Rule 23 — Questions to the Speaker

When the committee is engaged in substantive debate, a time limit has been placed on speeches, and the speaker has not exhausted the allotted time, the speaker may inform the Chairman that he or she will accept questions from the floor. At such time, the Chairman will recognize Members to pose substantive questions to the speaker on the issue under discussion. The speaker may at any time determine that he or she will cease accepting questions and thus conclude his or her remarks.

Comment — A Member may only rise to pose questions to the speaker when:

a) the committee is debating a substantive issue; b) a time limit has been placed on speeches; c) the speaker has not exhausted his or her allotted time; and d) the speaker has agreed to accept questions from the floor.

Questions addressed to the speaker shall relate directly to the substantive issue under discussion, requesting elucidation or clarification of a point made or a position taken by the speaker. The Member asking a question of the speaker may not engage the speaker in debate, but rather must phrase his or her point in the form of a question. The speaker may at any time decide to conclude his or her remarks and answers, notwithstanding that a question may remain unanswered. Members may want to keep their questions brief because a speaker's time shall be measured from the point at which the speaker takes the floor, and shall include the time used to ask a question. When a speaker's allotted time has elapsed, the Chairman shall promptly call the speaker to order.

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Rule 24 — Yields

When the time for speeches has been limited, a Member recognized to speak on a substantive issue may yield his or her remaining time to another Member. This Member may not yield any additional time.

Comment — A representative may share her or his allotted time with another representative of the same Member State and this shall not count as a yield. A yield may be announced at any time before the speaker has left the floor. Yields may not be granted during procedural debate.

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Rule 25 — Closing the Speakers' List

The speakers' list may be closed at any time upon the majority vote of the Members present and voting.


Comment — When a closed speakers' list is exhausted, debate automatically ends and an immediate vote is taken on all resolutions and amendments before the committee.

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Rule 26 — Reopening the Speakers' List

The speakers' list may be reopened by a vote of the Members provided that at least one speaker remains on the list at the time of the motion. One Member may speak in favor of and one opposed to this motion.

Comment — If the motion is carried, additional Members may be added to the already existing speakers' list.

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Rule 27 — Right of Reply

If a speaker has impugned the national integrity of another Member State or observer, or the personal integrity of another representative, the Chairman may accord that Member or representative appropriate speaking time to exercise the right of reply.

Comment — The right of reply is to be used to respond to the statements of the speaker. It may not be used to make corresponding, insulting remarks. It is granted at the discretion of the Chairman and should only be requested at the conclusion of the speaker's remarks.

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Rule 28 — Resolutions and Amendments

Resolutions and amendments shall normally be submitted in writing to the Chairman who shall circulate copies to the Members. No resolutions or amendments shall be voted upon unless copies of them have been made available to all Members.

Comment — Any Member may submit an amendment or a resolution. Any Member may be added to the list of sponsors of a resolution or amendment at any time before the resolution or amendment is put to a vote. Sponsorship indicates support of and agreement with a resolution or amendment. Because of the limited resources of the conference, it is necessary to insure a minimum level of discussion of a resolution or amendment before it is produced for general distribution. Therefore, a resolution must have the signatures of one-fifth of the membership of the body (but not less than five Members) and amendments must have the signatures of one-tenth of the membership of the body (but not less than three Members). A "signature" does not indicate sponsorship of, nor even agreement with, a resolution or amendment. Rather, a signature is intended to mean that the Member desires the opportunity to discuss the resolution or amendment. A less formal draft of a resolution, often referred to as a working paper, may also be submitted to the Chairman for the purpose of making additional copies for wider distribution. Whether a working paper is copied and how many copies are made will be determined by the Chairman.

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Rule 29 — Competence

Any motion calling for a decision on the competence of the committee to adopt a resolution or amendment submitted to it shall be put to the vote before a vote is taken on the resolution or amendment in question.

Comment — The Secretary-General has approved the competence of each committee to discuss the topic areas included in the provisional agenda. This rule serves to prevent the exercise of powers reserved exclusively for the Security Council by the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council. In this vote, an affirmative vote indicates that the body is NOT competent to pass the proposal and vice versa.

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Rule 30 — Withdrawal

A motion, resolution, or amendment may be withdrawn by its mover or sponsor(s) at any time before voting on the motion, resolution, or amendment has commenced. A motion, resolution, or amendment thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any Member. A resolution may not be withdrawn after it has been amended.

Comment — In order to withdraw a resolution or an amendment, all sponsors must agree to the withdrawal.

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Rule 31 — Point of Order

During the discussion of any matter, a Member may rise to a point of order. A point of order is used only in the case of an error in the order of procedure and is used to bring the issue to the attention of the Chairman. A Member rising to a point of order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.

Comment — If necessary, a point of order may interrupt a speaker.

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Rule 32 — Point of Parliamentary Inquiry

A Member may rise to a point of parliamentary inquiry when uncertain of the procedural setting of the committee. A Member may not interrupt a speaker on a point of parliamentary inquiry.

Comment — Representatives may use this point to have the Chairman explain any procedural matter. A point of parliamentary inquiry may be raised during voting procedure.

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Rule 33 — Point of Personal Privilege


A Member may rise to a point of personal privilege in order to bring to the attention of the Chairman some physical discomfort which is disrupting the proper functioning of the committee. A point of personal privilege may interrupt a speaker.

Comment — A representative may rise to a point of personal privilege when he or she is unable to hear the Chairman or speaker or for other physical reasons which may impair the representative's ability to participate in or listen to the debate.

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Rule 34 — Appeal

A Member may appeal a discretionary ruling of the Chairman. The Member may explain the appeal and the Chairman may explain the basis of the ruling. The Chairman's ruling will stand unless overruled by a majority of the Members present and voting.

Comment — Voting "yes" on this motion means a Member wishes to overrule the decision of the Chairman. Voting "no" means the Member wishes to uphold the ruling.

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Rule 35 — Recess of the Meeting

During the discussion of any matter, a Member may move to recess the meeting. Such a motion shall include the proposed length of such recess and shall not be debated but immediately shall be put to the vote.

Comment — Recess of the meeting is used for caucusing, meal breaks and the evening break. Normally, a recess for the purpose of caucusing should not exceed twenty minutes. When the motion to recess is made, the Chairman may suggest a different time period for the suspension. A simple majority is required to pass a motion to recess.

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Rule 36 — Closure of Debate

A Member may at any time move the closure of the debate on the item under consideration, whether or not any other Member has signified his or her wish to speak. Permission to speak on the closure of the debate shall be accorded only to two Members opposing the closure, after which the motion immediately shall be put to the vote. If two-thirds of the committee is in favor of the closure, the Chairman shall declare the closure of the debate.

Comment — Closure of debate is used to end discussion of a topic area. When debate is closed, the committee must move to an immediate vote on the resolution(s) and amendment(s) under that topic area. Motions for closure of debate are generally out of order until there has been a full discussion of the issue by the committee. The speakers' list will be discarded following passage of a motion to close debate. The speakers' list will not be carried over for other substantive or procedural debate.

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Rule 37 — Adjournment of Debate

During the discussion of any matter, a Member may move the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. Two Members may speak in favor of, and two against, the motion after which the motion immediately shall be put to the vote.

Comment — Adjournment of debate is used to end discussion of a topic area. Adjournment of debate is sometimes referred to as "tabling" debate on the topic area. When debate is adjourned, the resolution(s) and amendment(s) under that topic area are not voted on. A topic area which has been adjourned may only be reconsidered in accordance with Rule 49.

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Rule 38 — Adjournment of Session

The General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council may each decide at any session to adjourn temporarily and resume the meeting at a later date.

Comment — Unlike recess, adjournment is only appropriate at the final closing of committee sessions and at the close of the conference. This is a procedural motion and requires the approval of the Chairman.

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Rule 39 — Order of Procedural Motions

The motions indicated below shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the committee:

a) to recess the meeting (Rule 35); b) to adjourn the session (Rule 38); c) to adjourn the debate on the item under discussion (Rule 37); d) to close debate on the item under discussion (Rule 36).

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Rule 40 — Voting Rights

Each Member of the United Nations shall have one vote.

Comment — Observer delegations may not vote on substantive issues, but may vote on procedural motions.

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Rule 41 — Meaning of the Phrase "Members Present and Voting"

For the purposes of these rules, the phrase "Members present and voting" means Members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members who abstain from voting are considered as not voting.


Comment — Abstentions will not be called for in procedural votes.

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Rule 42 — Simple Majority

Decisions of committees on questions other than those provided for in Rules 36, 48, and 49, including the determination of additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, shall be made by a majority of the Members present and voting. If a vote is equally divided, the motion, resolution, or amendment fails.

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Rule 43 — Method of Voting

The General Assembly shall normally vote by show of placards, but any Member may request a roll-call vote on a resolution or amendment. The roll-call shall be taken in the English alphabetical order of the names of the Members, beginning with the Member whose name is drawn by lot by the Chairman. The name of each Member shall be called in any roll-call, and one of the Member State's representatives shall reply "yes," "no," or "abstention." Members may pass in the order of a vote once per vote. The Chairman may allow Members to explain their vote after a roll-call vote. The Chairman shall not permit the sponsors of a resolution or amendment to explain their vote on their own resolution or amendment. The result of the voting shall be inserted in the record in the English alphabetical order of the names of the Members.

Comment — The Chairman may require that a motion for a roll-call vote be supported by as much as one-fifth of the committee. While abstentions do not count as votes for purposes of determining a majority (Rule 41), Members abstaining from a vote may request the right to explain their abstention, provided that they were not the sponsor of the resolution or amendment. Roll-call votes may not be taken on procedural motions.

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Rule 44 — Conduct During the Voting

After the Chairman has announced the beginning of voting, no Member shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting or on a point of parliamentary inquiry.

Comment — During a vote, representatives should maintain proper decorum; no caucusing should take place, no notes should be passed, and no representatives should enter or leave the room.

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Rule 45 — Division of Resolutions and Amendments

a) A Member may move that the operative clauses of a resolution or amendment be voted on separately. If objection is made to the motion for division, the motion to divide shall be voted


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on. This is a procedural vote. Permission to speak on the motion for division may be granted to two speakers for and two speakers against the motion.

b) If the motion for division is carried, a substantive vote shall be taken on each of the divided parts.

c) Those parts which are approved shall then be voted on as a whole. This shall be a substantive vote. If all operative parts of the resolution or amendment have been rejected, the resolution or amendment shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.

d) In the event of several motions for division, the Chairman shall order the motions, selecting that motion which divides the resolution or amendment into the most parts first. A successful motion for division will supersede later conflicting motions.

Comment — This action consists of three stages, one procedural and two substantive:

1) The vote on whether the resolution or amendment will be divided at all; this is a procedural vote;

2) The vote on each of the divided operative parts; these are substantive votes; 3) The final vote on all of the accepted parts as a whole; this is a substantive vote.

Pre-ambulatory clauses may not be divided. A motion for division must delineate the placement of each operative clause. Only clauses that are distinctly specified within the resolution or amendment may be divided.

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Rule 46 — Voting on Amendments

A motion is considered an amendment to a resolution if it adds to, deletes from or revises part of the resolution. When an amendment to a resolution is moved, the amendment shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments to a resolution are moved, the committee shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in substance from the original resolution and then on the amendment next furthest removed there from, and so on until all of the amendments have been put to a vote. Where, however, the adoption of one amendment necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the latter amendment shall not be put to a vote. If any amendments are adopted, the amended resolution shall then be voted upon.

Comment -- Amendments will be voted upon after debate on the topic area has been closed and immediately before the vote on the relevant resolution. Pre-ambulatory clauses may not be amended. Technically, there are no "friendly amendments." However, if all of the sponsors of a resolution agree that a certain change to a proposed resolution is desirable, with the concurrence of the Chairman, the sponsors may withdraw the original resolution and submit a "new" resolution, as changed. All other amendments must be put to a vote. The Chairman shall determine the order of voting on the amendments and when one amendment implies the rejection of another.

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Rule 47 — Voting on Resolutions


If two or more resolutions relate to the same question, the committee shall, unless it decides otherwise, vote on the resolutions in the order in which they have been submitted. The Committee may, after each vote on a resolution, decide whether to vote on the next resolution.

Comment — It requires a majority vote to change the order in which a committee considers resolutions.

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Rule 48 — Important Questions

Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting. These questions shall include: recommendations with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security, the suspension of the rights and privileges of membership, the expulsion of Members, questions relating to the operation of the trusteeship system, and budgetary questions. Any Member may move to consider a resolution an important question. Two Members may speak in favor of and two against the motion. It shall require a simple majority vote to consider a resolution as an important question.

Comment — The Chairman will not determine the existence of an important question; it requires the initiative of the committee. Only when a resolution is in its final form may a motion be made to consider it an important question (i.e., after voting on amendments and division is completed).

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Rule 49 — Reconsideration

When a resolution has been adopted or rejected or when debate on a topic area has been adjourned, it may not be reconsidered at the same session unless the committee, by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting, so decides. Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider may be accorded only to one speaker in favor of the motion, and one opposing the motion, after which the motion immediately shall be put to the vote.

Comment — This rule may be used to reconsider specific resolutions upon which an actual vote has been taken or entire topic areas upon which debate was adjourned. It may not be used to reconsider entire topic areas upon which debate was closed and a vote was taken on the resolution(s) and amendment(s). As a practical matter, a motion to reconsider a resolution should be made only by a Member who voted with the originally prevailing side.


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APPENDIX A: SAMPLE POSITION PAPER

Note: For demonstration purposes, this paper is much shorter than an actual NHSMUN position paper should be. This paper exemplifies the appropriate tone, research skills, and citation style necessary for a successful position paper. Historical Security Council

China’s Position on the Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (1991)

Introduction Mr. Tsiang, China’s representative on the Security Council, asked, “The Council at this juncture must answer two questions: What can the United Nations do for the Republic of Congo, and how do we do it?” (“Report” 17). Invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter, Hammarskjold articulated three goals for the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC): “First, the Force had to help expel the foreign military and paramilitary personnel not connected with the UN cooperation; second, it had to prevent civil war, using force if necessary; and third, it had to protect the territorial dignity of the Congo” (Lefever 72). China agrees with the Secretary-General in these requirements, and pledges to abide by them. China’s History Due to China’s history, we realize the importance of acting cautiously but firmly when dealing with the Congo situation. The self-established dynasties before 1644 became absorbed into what is presently known as Chinese culture. Such reigns include the Ch’in (when the Great Wall was built), Han, Sui, T’ang, and then the Sung dynasty. Succeeding this, the Manchu from Manchuria asserted themselves. Although this was not a colonial power, they joined the Manchu-Chinese civilization in a manner similar to a colonial power taking control of another nation. Current Situation in Congo Presently, 300 Swedish troops are stationed in Elisabethville in Katanga, functionally replacing the Belgium troops that once held order before Congo’s independence (Lefever 40). Patrice Lumumba, party president of the national, non-ethnic Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), felt that this action was inadequate and deployed troops of his own, aided by the Soviets (McDonald 50). Struggle for control of the Congolese government began between Lumumba, the first president of Congo, Joseph Kasavubu, and the Army Chief of Staff, Joseph Mobutu. (McDonald 56). Internally, the level of conflict in Katanga has risen, as Tshombé, the leader of the main Katangan party, fought with Katanga’s largest tribe, the Baluba. Both the UN and the Congolese Congress have been attempting to ease tensions since then, such as ONUC’s efforts in launching Operation Rumpunch. The UN also called for the arrest of Tshombé, which resulted in battle (Lefever 65). The fact remains that Belgium and Tshombé have prevented the UN from accomplishing the ideals that have previously been set forth (“Letters” 2). China vehemently opposes “any perpetuation or revival of any form of colonialism whatsoever in the Congo” (Report, Mr. Tsiang 18). Proposed Actions and Solutions


One of the most important tasks pointed out by Prime Minister Cyrille Adoula is working out a draft constitution. The founding principles of Loi fondamentale will have to be slightly revised, as the present principles are now grounded on a nationalistic feeling, not, as before, where the health of the nation depends on foreign forces. Mr. Adoula is pushing for “a Congolese constitution which will harmonize with the Congolese spirit, one which will adopt political structures suited to the aspirations of the Congolese people and which will be established by the Congolese themselves” (“Speech” 77). China firmly believes that peacekeeping forces, (namely ONUC) should be employed in Congo. As long as the requirements of impartiality, acceptance of the host country, and opening fire only in defense are held accountable, the UN has grounds to confidently assert itself to diffuse the tension building in the Katanga region. China empathizes with Congo’s need to ensure their sovereignty and hopes to uphold this to the utmost. ONUC should only enter as a peacekeeping force, which by definition must have the consent of both parties involved. It is imperative that in the quest to maintain humanitarian dignity, the logistics of financing the entire operation be kept at the forefront. As representative Mr. Carduso from Congo (Leopoldville) has pinpointed, “The truth must be told: ONUC is beginning to run out of money” (“Congo’s” 18). China and Ceylon have both supported an influx of financial assistance to Congo; however, as Mr. Tsiang noted, China “favours channeling such aid through the United Nations . . . [and] opposes any direct aid from individual Governments to the Congo” (“Report” 18). In including such a clause, international rivalry and conflict arising from unilateral aid will be bypassed. Conclusion China firmly believes that “There is no reason to quit; there is all the more reason for persisting in our course of actions defined in the resolutions which we have already adopted” (“Report” 17). The progress that has to this point been made in Congo is commendable, and China sees that with the aid of the Republic of Congo as well as the United Nations, that more can be done to alleviate the problems that have been attacking especially Katanga in the past three years. China looks forward to the day when Congo is firmly established with a working constitution, when the children are being schooled and the army fights as it would in any other country. As Mr. Tsiang stated, “I am instructed by my government to uphold here [in Congo] the political independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of the Congo”; Congo should now walk towards these new worlds.

Works Cited Congo – UNOC. http://www.un.org/Depts/DPKP/Missions/onuc.htm. 30 December 1998. Lefever, Ernest. Crisis in the Congo: A United Nations Force in Action. The Brookings Institution: Washington D.C., 1965. Letter from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council; Letters from the Permanent Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics addressed to the President of the Security Council. Official Records, NY, NY. 14 January 1961.


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McDonald, Gordon. Area Handbook for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo Kinshasa). U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., 1971. Official Records. Security Council. United Nations, Official Records: Sixteenth Year. November – December 1961. Report of the Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Operation in the Congo to the Secretary-General Relating to the Implementation of Security Council Resolutions S/4741 of 21 February 1961 and S/5002 of 24 November 1961. Document S/5053. Report to the Secretary-General from his Action Special Representative in the Congo Concerning the Situation in Katanga and United Nation Action in Implementation of Security Council Resolution S/4741 of 21 February 1961. Official Records. Security Council. United Nations: Sixteenth Year. 15 April 1961. Second Report of the Secretary-General On Certain Steps Taken in Regard to the Implementation of Security Council Resolution S/4741 of 21 February 1961. Official Records. Security Council. United Nations: Sixteenth Year. 17 May 1961. Speech Made on 2 August 1961 to the Two Houses of the Congolese Parliament by the Prime Minister, Mr. Cyrille Adoula. Security Council. United Nations, Official Records: 2 August 1961. United Nations. Yearbook of National Accounts Statistics: 1961. New York: United Nations. 1962. 52-59.

National High School Model United Nations 2014 Faculty Preparation Guide

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APPENDIX B: GUIDE TO UNITED NATIONS DOCUMENT SYMBOLS

United Nations document symbols are composed of capital letters and Arabic numerals. A slash (/) separates the components of a symbol. (Until 1978 Roman numerals were sometimes used to designate the number of a United Nations “session”)

The first letters indicate the main organ of the UN in which the document was submitted:

A/-General Assembly

E/-Economic and Social Council

S/-Security Council

T/-Trusteeship Council

ST/-Secretariat

(Documents of the International Court of Justice carry the initials of the Court - I.C.J.)

The symbol after the first slash indicates which subsidiary body of the main organ produced the document. Here are some examples:

-/AC. .../-Ad Hoc Committee or similar body

-/C. .../-Standing, permanent, main committee

-/CN. .../-Commission

-/CONF. .../-Conference

-/GC. .../-Governing Council

-/SC. .../-Sub-committee

-/Sub. .../-Sub-commission

-/WG. .../-Working Group

Subsidiary bodies may be assigned an Arabic numeral that is usually in the consecutive order of their establishment. For example, A/CN.10/- stands for the Disarmament Commission of the General Assembly.

Specific symbols also designate certain subsidiary organs of the United Nations. For example:

CERD/-Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

DP/-United Nations Development Programme

TD/-United Nations Conference on Trade and Development


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UNEP/-United Nations Environment Programme

WFC/-World Food Council

The General Assembly

The Main Committees of the General Assembly are identified by the following symbols:

A/C.1/-First Committee (Political and Security)

A/C.2/-Second Committee (Economic and Financial)

A/C.3/-Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural)

A/C.4/-Fourth Committee (Decolonization)

A/C.5/-Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary)

A/C.6/-Sixth Committee (Legal)

A/SPC/-Special Political Committee

Beginning with the 31st session of the General Assembly (1976), a new system for numbering General Assembly documents was adopted. Instead of the consecutive numbers previously in use (e.g., A/10115, A/10116, etc.), documents are now numbered in a separate series for each session. Each General Assembly session is indicated by the Arabic numeral that comes after the specified symbol of the body or subsidiary organ concerned (e.g., A/C.1/40/-). The final element of the symbols is consecutive for each series of documents. For example, A/40/2 is the second in the series of main documents for the 40th session of the General Assembly, and A/C.5/40/12 is the twelfth of the Fifth Committee for that session. Documents of meetings follow the same system. Thus A/40/PV.1 is the text (provisional verbatim) of the first plenary meeting of the General Assembly at its fortieth session. A/C.2/40/SR.10 is the tenth Summary Record (and meeting) of the Second Committee of the General Assembly at the same session.

The following letters are sometimes included in document symbols to denote the nature of the document:

-/BUR/-General Committee documents

-/DEC/-Decisions

-/INF/-Information series (procedural questions)

-/Min./ -Minutes

-/NGO/-Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations

-/PC/-Preparatory Committee

-/PCN/-Preparatory Commission

-/PET/-Petitions

-/PV/-Provisional Verbatim record of meetings


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-/RES/-Resolutions

-/SR./ -Summary Records

-/WP./ -Working Paper

-/L./ -Draft Documents for limited distribution

To indicate the modification of documents, the following are used:

-/Add.- -Addendum - indicates an addition

-/Summary -Official summary of a report prepared for the committee

-/Excerpt -Excerpt of a document where only part is needed

-/Rev. -Revision - new version of document

-/Amend. -Amendment - alteration to original document

-/Corr. -Corrigendum - Corrects error in original document text

-/-* -Indicates document was reissued for technical reasons

Economic and Social Council

The sessional committees of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) are identified by the following symbols:

E/1986/C.1/-First Committee (Economic)

E/1986/C.2/-Second Committee (Social)

E/1986/C.3/-Third Committee (Programme and Co-ordination)

Sessional subsidiary bodies may also be established (e.g., E/1986/WG/1., the Sessional Working Group of Governmental Experts on the Implementation of the International Covenant On Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights).

The document symbols of the Economic and Social Council and its sessional committees consist of: the identifying letter of the Council (E/-); the year; any subsidiary body or a symbol denoting the nature of the document; then the numerical order in which the document is issued (e.g., E/1985/1, E/1985/SR.1, and E/1985/C.1/SR.1). Note however, E/RES (or DEC/1985/1) for the Council's resolutions and decisions.

In January 1978, the Economic and Social Council modified the numbering of its sessions to current practice. Three sessions of the Council are held each calendar year. They are the organizational session, the first regular session, and the second regular session, as opposed to the consecutive numbers previously used. Should special sessions be held, they are assigned consecutive numbers within each year (e.g., first special session, 1978; second special session, 1978).

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